Lord, open my lips.
 - And my mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Psalm 95 is the traditional Invitatory Psalm. Psalm 24, 67, or 100 may be substituted.

Antiphon: Come let us sing joyful songs to the Lord.

Psalm 95

Psalm 24

Psalm 67

Psalm 100

God, come to my assistance.
 - Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
 -  as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever.
Amen. (Alleluia.)

HYMN

Sing praise to God who reigns above,
the God of all creation,
the God of power, the God of love,
the God of our salvation;
with healing balm my soul he fills,
and every faithless murmur stills:
to God all praise and glory.

What God's almighty power hath made,
his gracious mercy keepeth;
by morning glow or evening shade
his watchful eye ne'er sleepeth.
Within the kingdom of his might,
lo! all is just and all is right:
to God all praise and glory.

Then all my gladsome way along
I sing aloud thy praises,
that men may hear the grateful song
my voice unwearied raises:
be joyful in the Lord, my heart!
Both soul and body bear your part!
To God all praise and glory.

O ye who name Christ's holy name
give God all praise and glory;
let all who know his power proclaim
aloud the wondrous story!
Cast each false idol from its throne,
the Lord is God, and he alone:
to God all praise and glory.
Text: Johann J. Schutz; Melody: Mit Freuden Zart 87.87.887


PSALMODY

Antiphon 1: Bow down and hear me, Lord, come to my rescue.

                I
In you, O Lord, I take refuge.
Let me never be put to shame.
In your justice, set me free,
hear me and speedily rescue me.

Be a rock of refuge for me,
a mighty stronghold to save me,
for you are my rock, my stronghold.
For your name's sake, lead me and guide me.

Release me from the snares they have hidden
for you are my refuge, Lord.
Into your hands I commend my spirit.
It is you who will redeem me, Lord.

O God of truth, you detest
those who worship false and empty gods.
As for me, I trust in the Lord:
let me be glad and rejoice in your love.

You who have seen my affliction
and taken heed of my soul's distress,
have not handed me over to the enemy,
but set my feet at large.  Glory...

Antiphon 1 Bow down and hear me, Lord, come to my rescue.

Antiphon 2 Lord, let the light of your countenance shine on your servants.

                  II
Have mercy on me, O Lord,
for I am in distress.
Tears have wasted my eyes,
my throat and my heart.

For my life is spent with sorrow
and my years with sighs.
Affliction has broken down my strength
and my bones waste away.

In the face of all my foes
I am a reproach,
an object of scorn to my neighbors
and of fear to my friends.

Those who see me in the street
run far away from me.
I am like a dead man, forgotten,
like a thing thrown away.

I have heard the slander of the crowd,
fear is all around me,
as they plot together against me,
as they plan to take my life.

But as for me, I trust in you, Lord;
I say: You are my God.
My life is in your hands, deliver me
from the hands of those who hate me.

Let your face shine on your servant.
Save me in your love.  Glory...

Antiphon 2 Lord, let the light of your countenance shine on your servants.


Antiphon 3 Blessed be the Lord, for he has poured out his mercy upon me.

                   III
How great is the goodness, Lord,
that you keep for those who fear you,
that you show to those who trust you
in the sight of men.

You hide them in the shelter of your presence
from the plotting of men;
you keep them safe within your tent
from disputing tongues.

Blessed be the Lord who has shown me
the wonders of his love
in a fortified city.

I am far removed from your sight
I said in my alarm.
Yet you heard the voice of my plea
when I cried for help.

Love the Lord, all you saints.
He guards his faithful
but the Lord will repay to the full
those who act with pride.

Be strong, let your heart take courage,
all who hope in the Lord.

"Let us oppress the needy just man;
  let us neither spare the widow
  nor revere the old man for his hair grown white with time.
But let our strength be our norm of justice;
  for weakness proves itself useless.   
Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us;
  he sets himself against our doings,
Reproaches us for transgressions of the law
  and charges us with violations of our training.

"He professes to have knowledge of God
  and styles himself a child of the Lord.
To us he is the censure of our thoughts;
  merely to see him is a hardship for us,
Because his life is not like other men's,
  and different are his ways.
He judges us debased;
  he holds aloof from our paths as from things impure.
He calls blest the destiny of the just
  and boasts that God is his Father.

"Let us see whether his words be true;
  let us find out what will happen to him.
For if the just one be the son of God, he will defend him
  and deliver him from the hand of his foes.
With revilement and torture let us put him to the test
  that we may have proof of his gentleness
  and try his patience.
Let us condemn him to a shameful death;
  for according to his own words, God will take care of him."

These were their thoughts, but they erred;
  for their wickedness blinded them,
And they knew not the hidden counsels of God;
  neither did they count on a recompense of holiness
  nor discern the innocent souls' reward.
For God formed man to be imperishable;
  the image of his own nature he made him.
But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world,
  and they who are in his possession experience it.


RESPONSORY          Wis. 2:1,12,13,17,18; Mt. 27:43
The wicked said: Let us be in wait for the just man,
for he disapproves of our way of life
and calls himself the son of God.
- Let us test the truth of his words;
God will deliver him from the hands of his enemies,
if he truly is his son.

He trusted in God;
let God rescue him if he wants him,
for he said: I am the Son of God.
- Let us test the truth of his words;
God will deliver him from the hands of his enemies,
if he truly is his son.


SECOND READING

From a letter to the Corinthians by Saint Clement, pope
(Cap. 21, 1-22,5:23,1-2: Funk 1, 89-93)

We must not turn our backs and flee from God's will

Dear friends take care that God’s blessings, which are many, do not become the condemnation of us all; we must live lives worthy of him and in mutual harmony do what is good and acceptable in his sight. He tells us: The Spirit of the Lord is a lantern, searching the hidden places of our inmost being.

We must remember how near he is and that no thought of ours, no conversation we hold is hidden from him. It is right, therefore, that we should not turn our backs and flee from God’s will. We should rather give offense to stupid and foolish men, puffed up and taking pride in their boastful speech, than give offense to God.

Let us reverence the Lord Jesus, whose blood was shed for us. Let us respect those in authority, let us honor the presbyters. Let us train the young in the fear of God. Let us lead our wives toward all that is good. Let them show by their conduct that they are lovers of chastity; by their gentleness let them reveal a pure and sincere disposition; by their silence let them manifest the control they have over their tongues; let them bestow an equal charity, without respect for persons, on all who have a holy fear of God.

Your children must share in the way of discipleship in Christ. They must learn how effective humility is before God, what chaste love can accomplish with God, how good and noble is the fear of God, for it brings salvation to all who possess it and who live holy lives with a pure heart. The one whose Spirit is in us is the searcher of our thoughts and of the counsels of our hearts. At his will, he shall take that Spirit from us.

All this is strengthened by the faith that comes to us in Christ. He himself addresses us through the Holy Spirit and says: Come, my children, listen to me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Is there a man who wants life, desiring to see good days? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking what is false. Turn away from evil and do good. Seek peace and go in pursuit of it.

The Father is merciful in all he does and full of generosity; he is loving to those who fear him. In goodness and gentleness he gives his graces to those who approach him with undivided hearts. We must then put away all duplicity and not be distrustful in the face of his excelling and ennobling gifts.